The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to an electronic price label antenna for electronic price labels of different sizes.
EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the prices of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record.
EPLs are produced in different sizes. Two sizes are typically mounted to shelf rails or edges. A first or large size EPL is typically about three to four inches in length and is used in connection with most items in a store. An example of the a large size EPL is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,560, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This patent is hereby incorporated by reference.
A second or small size EPL has been created for use in connection with small items which occupy very little shelf space. Use of the small size EPL allows many different types of small items to placed adjacent one another. Use of a large size EPL in connection with these small items would waste shelf space between small items. The small size EPL is about one and a half inches to two inches in length and has a smaller display than the large size EPL. The small size EPL also takes a smaller adhesive overlay for displaying item information which rarely changes.
One problem with the small size EPL is that it includes a different antenna than the large size EPL, since the antenna in the large size EPL is too large.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a common antenna and communication circuitry design for large and small size EPLs in order to reduce overall cost.